TL;DR
- YouTuber SuperSaf has confirmed that the Galaxy Z TriFold doesn’t support Flex Mode.
- The feature has been a fixture on Galaxy foldables for years now, allowing for hands-free photos and more.
- The YouTuber’s video also shows that you can’t use the TriFold screen when it’s folded once.
Samsung has finally launched the Galaxy Z TriFold, offering a dual-folding 10-inch screen for an even bigger display in your pocket. Now, a YouTuber has confirmed that the device skips a long-standing Galaxy foldable feature.
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YouTuber SuperSaf went hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold and revealed that the device lacks Flex Mode functionality. This feature lets you partially fold your foldable phone’s screen, enabling various capabilities in the process. Flex Mode allows you to watch videos hands-free without using a kickstand case. It also enables functionality like hands-free photos and videos without a selfie stick or tripod, as well as a laptop-style form factor for video calls and typing.
This is a pretty significant omission, as Flex Mode has been a fixture on Galaxy foldables since 2020’s Galaxy Z Flip. That means you’ll need to buy a kickstand case or prop up the TriFold for hands-free photos, video calls, and more. Nevertheless, I imagine that Flex Mode may have been difficult to implement due to the dual in-folding hinges.
It also doesn’t seem like you can actually use the Galaxy Z TriFold when the device is folded once. Instead, the visible screen panel is blurred in this posture, as you can see in the screenshot below. That’s not a big deal, as you’re only getting a smartphone-sized display when the device is partially folded. So you might as well use the similarly sized but more durable cover screen.
This is still a notable omission as the HUAWEI Mate XT, which has one in-folding and one out-folding hinge, lets you use the partially folded screen. In HUAWEI’s case, the partially folded display is comparable in size to a conventional Fold screen, at 7.9 inches. Furthermore, the Mate XT supports Flex Mode, as the cover display serves as a kickstand for the 7.9-inch panel. Then again, the Mate XT’s form factor means part of the folding screen is always exposed as it’s used as a cover display, raising concerns about long-term durability.
Paul Jones / Android Authority
The Galaxy Z TriFold still seems like one of the most exciting launches of the year. After all, how many phones have a 10-inch screen that can fit in your pocket? The new phone also has a 6.5-inch cover screen, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 5,600mAh battery, 45W wired charging, and 15W wireless charging. It also packs the Galaxy Z Fold 7‘s camera hardware.
Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z TriFold in Korea first, followed by releases in China, Singapore, the UAE, and the US. There’s no word on US pricing, but the device starts at ~$2,445 in Korea.
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